Reveling in Paradox

bee on flower

When it comes to your faith, don’t shy away from paradox—embrace it.  A honeybee is a dangerous creature. It can effectively poison its predators by stinging them, but not without losing its own life. Why does such a creature exist? Why did the process of natural selection not continue to… Continue reading

Judging Others—Just Stop It

people walking in a city.

“When it comes to hating, gossiping, ignoring, ridiculing, holding grudges, or wanting to cause harm, please apply the following: Stop it!”  Judging others—we all do it, whether we like to admit it or not. In a world full of people who are very different from you, it can be hard… Continue reading

Remembering the “Why” of the Gospel

person in blue sitting in a field, looking away from camera

Understanding why we do what we do in church and in our lives can help us find a more meaningful path. There’s no getting around it: life is busy. It’s easy to get caught up in a never-ending list of things that demand our attention. When was the last time… Continue reading

Remember to Remember

dad and little boy in his arm

The principles and ordinances of the gospel of Jesus Christ cannot change us if we do not remember them. Almost everyone has lost something important—car keys, a cell phone, that thing you just know you saw five minutes ago. The search becomes frantic as memory fades. Then finally, it clicks.… Continue reading

Applying the Savior’s Atonement to My Own Life

Hand in the dark.

I realized that I had been so focused on working to take the gospel to other people that I had forgotten to let the gospel work in me. Early in my mission to Tennessee, my companion shared with me part of Sister Linda K. Burton’s address from the October 2012 General… Continue reading

What I Learned From Not Serving a Mission

While not serving a mission, I learned more about myself, my Heavenly Father, and the places he is leading me.   As waves of missionaries return home, lots of things have changed, such as housing, dating, school enrollment, and marriage. President Thomas S. Monson’s 2012 general conference announcement lowering the ages… Continue reading

What’s the Secret to Scripture Study?

We often feel like there’s no time for meaningful scripture study. Even when there is time, we may be lost as to how to make the most of it. Joseph Fielding McConkie—son of Bruce R. McConkie, grandson of Joseph Fielding Smith, and longtime professor of ancient scripture at BYU—tells of… Continue reading

God Is Never Hidden, Yet Sometimes We Are

busy train station

“God is never hidden, yet sometimes we are, covered by a pavilion of motivations that draw us away from God and make him seem distant and inaccessible.” As members of the Church, we often feel that although we are keeping the commandments, going to the temple, and praying regularly, we… Continue reading

How Can I Feel the Spirit More?

young man with an elderly woman

Do you want to feel the Spirit more fully? It’s possible, and the answer is pretty simple. One of the largest problems returned missionaries face is finding a way to feel the Spirit as strongly as they did on their missions. One young man asked Elder Don R. Clarke, a… Continue reading

You’ve Always Had a Testimony

Woman in red sweater with her hands clasped, praying

If you have doubts about your gospel knowledge or testimony, remember that you knew the truth before this life—you just have to remember it. In a recently published article in the New Era, Elder Kevin W. Pearson of the First Quorum of the Seventy tells us how we can gain more… Continue reading